Grab Your Bike And Try Out The Separated Bike Lanes at First Fridays

The community is encouraged to try out a temporary, separated bike lane and share their thoughts for promoting “Bikeability,” as part of the Long Beach Bicycle Master Plan (Bike Plan) update efforts. The interactive demonstration will be featured at First Fridays in Bixby Knolls, on July 1, 2016, from 6:30 to 9:30 pm, on Atlantic Avenue between Bixby Road and San Antonio Drive.

“Long Beach continues to support alternative transportation and make our community more livable,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “This event provides a fun way for residents and visitors to kick off the summer and help shape an important initiative for our City.”

The free event will feature a temporary, separated bike lane on each side of Atlantic Avenue, and offer the community an opportunity to let City staff know what they think of them, including ease of access, convenience, suggestions on locations, designs and safety.

“We are committed to improving our ‘Livability,’ which includes ‘Bikeability’ as well as ‘Swimability’ and ‘Walkability,’ to promote healthy active lifestyles and make Long Beach the best place to live, work, and play,” said City Manager Patrick H. West.

Complimentary bike valet and free bike lights will be provided. People will be able to try out the new Long Beach Bike Share bicycles and sign up for memberships. For more information on the program, including registration and downloading a mobile app, visit www.longbeachbikeshare.com.

Atlantic Avenue will remain open, but there will be one lane closed in each direction, beginning at 12:00 pm on Friday, July 1. All lanes will be reopened following the event. If driving to First Fridays, please exercise extra caution due to the high number of expected pedestrians and bicyclists.

Separated bike lanes consist of a portion of a roadway exclusively for bicyclists that is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic, by a curb or some other barrier.

The Bike Plan serves as the foundation for creating an even more bicycle-friendly City. The proposed update to the 2001 document includes new goals and objectives to incorporate added bike lanes, bike boulevards, bike facilities, and new signage and bike racks throughout Long Beach. The planning process includes a comprehensive outreach component, including various pop-up events, exhibits, and workshops.

For more information about the temporary, separated bike lanes, contact Ira Brown at 562.570.5972 or Ira.Brown@longbeach.gov. For the latest news and more information on how to get involved with the Long Beach Bicycle Master Plan, visit www.bikelongbeach.org/masterplan, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bikelongbeach, and follow us on Twitter @BikeLongBeach (#LBbikeplan). Take the Bike Plan survey at www.LBbikesurvey.com.

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